EDAM Week 4: Drawing in Space and Light ( 1 )

Week 4 of Extended Drawing for Artists and Makers with new tutor ( Anne Teahan ) and a new 3 week project  starting with drawing in space ( seeing the world transparently ).

We started with  an introduction to  artists  who'd explored the idea of space  using 3D media  (  have tendency to think of space as nothing  but it's integral  to seeing in the same way as gaps in music are important) - how they treat space inside a room, a landscape or the human form. 

We looked particularly at the work of Chiharu Shiota  ( I regretted  not getting to the exhibition 'Lost in Lace' )  looking  at how objects take on the characteristics of the process of 'drawing' with thread 

 The work of Cornelia Parker  where space appears trapped  within the charred remnants from  a suspected arson  ( I was lucky enough to see her retrospective at the Whitworth  and more recently at Turner Contemporary)

The gestural  marks from her 'bullet drawings'  share similarities to Antony Gormley's 'Domain Fields' (below ) with space intruding into the forms.  

The spiralling lines of  his 'Feeling Material'  contrast with the overlapping parallel lines of 'Matrix 1 and 2'  with a feeling of  crosshatching, building up layers of density.

Giacometti's 'The Artist's Mother'   also shows space built up in layers and cross hatched marks. 

Then to work,  ' harvesting marks' from these artists  to build up layered drawings in charcoal, using different grades ,lightness, thickness,  lots of dusting off, trying to keep  a feeling of space , going back in with  a rubber when it started getting too heavy . 

 The second one  I did contrasting the 2 Antony Gormley pieces  was more successful. Before lunch  we set up a layered  background for the observational drawing in the afternoon ( we  put a border of masking tape around the edge of the paper and then drew a charcoal frame within it  to define and enclose  the  space from the start ) 

 After lunch we looked at the work of Jenny Saville and Ginny Grayson,   how they'd layered marks and made continual , visible adjustments as they drew  which added to the richness and complexity of the surface. 

 The objects I brought in  were the pewter vase which I've drawn several  times before ( above)  and  for transparency, a glass pyrex jug . Who knew that it would be so satisfying  ( if difficult)  to draw! 

 Rather than setting up a still life , we started with one object  and then added  another, building up layers and composition. Challenging  but interesting, one of my problems is that I've done very little drawing with charcoal as I hate the mess and it irritates my skin and  so usually wear gloves. Fine for gestural marks but  clumsy and awkward  for detailed observational work, but I persisted! Perspective is all over the place too   but looking down from an easel , my position kept moving. 

The next session is  drawing in light ( seeing the world as a series of surfaces touched by light)- I'm off to  look for some black and shiny objects ! 

Matisse in the Studio at the RA

 Matisse 'Rocaille Chair' 1936  

Making  the most of my   day in London after 'Drawing Tuesday' in Regent's Park, I'd booked 2.45 slot for 'Matisse in the Studio' at the Royal Academy . It had parallels  with the  glorious ' Matisse, his art and Textiles' exhibition held in the  same gallery in 2005 ( more than 10 years ago, it doesn't feel like that). I've spent this morning going through the book again, when I should I have been doing something else, reminding myself of the ' Haiti's' that are a feature of this exhibition too.

 The juxtaposition  of some of his favourite objects  with the paintings and sculptures  they inspired or   featured in  was fascinating ( I covet his green glass vase)  

I bought a copy of the ' Introduction to the exhibition for Teachers and Students'  which  explored  key pieces in  depth , asking  questions  that make you think such as ' What is the difference between a mask and a portrait? Using this  as  a guide and  using   exercises  from ' Advanced Painting '  and 'Ways into Abstract Painting' gallery visits, I  took notes and made quick sketches   which have given  me  food for thought , particularly in composition and paint application ( I'm thinking of returning to oils for 'Contemporary Painting Studio' course   at City lit ). Also reminded me how much I like drawing pewter!  

Matisse 'Large Red Interior' 1948

 It was good too to  be reminded of his  paintings of interiors.  I first  visited the   Centre  Pompidou in Paris in the late 1980's  on a work trip   stopping off between Rilland and Amiens. I was blown away by the artwork  particularly  'Florentine Villas'   by Paul Klee  and 'Large Red Interior ' by Matisse and bought large posters of both.   These  posters combined with  kelims bought on trips to Turkey and  Morroco  were what made various small  rooms in shared houses and   my first purchased   flats  ' home' . In my tiny studio  flat, the Matisse print gave the illusion of additional  rooms and enlarged the space. Alas  the poster  got water damaged   when in storage between moves  but  the kelims are still in use.  

Drawing Tuesday in the Ironwork Galleries at the V&A

 

The Ironwork Galleries  at the V&A  are  full of wonderful things to draw: locks, grilles, candlesticks  and it's relatively quiet. Owning 3 pewter  vases which I've drawn  many times ( large and small scale), I was attracted to the  display cases which  housed a variety of characterful items.

I started off with a 'blind drawing' to capture quickly their quirky shapes then started  on robust ewer ( below) before giving up as the light was so poor. I then concentrated on this delightful coffee pot.  It looks  Art Nouveau rather then 1750! I love how the patterns on the lid merge with those on the body and the particular patina that you get with pewter.  



 

  Some more lovely shapes but too high up to draw without a getting a crick in your neck. Another advantage of these galleries - an eye level view of the Chihuly glass installation

Then to the members room for  lunch, coffee and custard tart ( and a look at everyone elses sketchbooks) 

 

Pewter Pots and Paints

Every time we eat in the dining-room, I admire the pewter vases that my mum collected ( we used to have a vast ugly pewter tea urn but that was sold) . I've been thinking of sketching them for the 'Grey side of life' theme of Sketchbook Project 2012. I love the subtlety of form and light and shadow so it fits well too with the International Quilt Challenge I've  signed up to, the current theme being light and shade .  I've already used them in 'Lunaria' quilt ( see below before the honesty seed cases smothered it! ) but they deserve to star in their own piece!

 Then there's the Taplow Vase for 'Whatever Floats Your Boat' at Slough Museum

 I don't know quite how I ended up with this when something on the lines of this Picasso painting was what I had in mind. Time to revisit it I think.

But my immediate concern (apart from trying to keep cool) is sorting out my packing for Dramatic Sea and Landscapes in Acrylic at Slapton, Devon. Why does painting require so much stuff??!! My bag of clothes is small but I've an A2 art folder and  huge rucksack containing paints , brushes and easel -they're going to love me on the train!! I'm not taking my netbook so I'm having a blog and computer holiday too ( apart from looking at my emails on my phone) . Ian is in charge of supervising the Freesat installation in my absence - as well as a new roof we treated ourselves to a 40" television having put up with 'Retrovision' for 4 years (thanks to a dodgy aerial we've only been able to watch BBC1, BBC2 and CH4)

Service will be resumed in a few days!